Monday, November 16, 2009

We don't start off with a lot of big hoopla. Taking our cue from the liturgical practice of the Church, we ease into Advent which is variously called Nativity Fast, Winter Lent, St. Philip's Fast, or Nativity Lent.

This particular day, the second day of Advent, is the Feast of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, who is my heavenly patron and intercessor. We celebrated by his feast by eating salmon and singing the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast. Around the table I lead the boys in a discussion of St. Matthew's life. (Anselm Samuel was surprised Jesus chose such a wicked man to be one of his Apostles.)

I asked Anselm to tell me what happened in the Garden of Eden. He told us about Adam and Eve getting kicked out and why, but he didn't remember what God said to the serpent. So we opened the Bible to Genesis 3:14-15

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,“Cursed are you above all the livestockand all the wild animals!You will crawl on your bellyand you will eat dustall the days of your life.And I will put enmitybetween you and the woman,and between your offspring and hers;he will crush your head,and you will strike his heel.”

We talked about what this meant, how it was a promise that Mary would have a baby and that baby would defeat Satan. We talked about how for thousands of years people waited for that promise to be kept. And we talked about how Advent is a time when we remember all those people who waited, and how God loved us even when we were His enemies, and how He promised to heal our souls, and how with these few words God set in motion a plan to save us. And that is what Advent is about, waiting and watching as the plan is unfolded before our eyes.